BMW i8 flagship alternative drive is an advanced four-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid with performance to match the M3 and fuel economy to humble even the most frugal Mini.
The BMW i8 is planned to go on sale in the UK in 2013 with a newly developed hybrid petrol-electric drive system. This allows it to run individually on either pure electric power or a combination of traditional combustion engines and electric power, driving conditions and Depending on the state of battery charge.
As with the Vision ED concept, the petrol engine is mounted at the rear and drives the rear wheels via a dual-clutch gearbox. The electric motor is sited up front and acts on the front wheels through a twin-speed transmission.
When accelerating from standstill at low speeds and / or with sufficient battery charge, the i8 is capable of running exclusively on electric power in a front-wheel-drive mode for distances up to 20 miles. The key to the BMW i8 impressive straight-line performance is its comparatively low weight.
A star of the 2009 Frankfurt International Motor Show, the BMW i8 Vision EfficientDynamics Concept plug-in hybrid Will go into production in 2013. The four-seat sports car features the same Will charismatic yet unconventional design of the concept along with a hefty dose of sports-car performance and excellent fuel efficiency. Will it follow the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 and the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid BMW's in pursuit of more efficient vehicles without sacrificing the superior driving dynamics for the which the luxury brand is known.
The car features surfaces That Appear to overlap and interlock in a concept BMW calls "layering." The vehicle's suspension, battery, drive system, and structural and crash chiefly functions are constructed from aluminum. The futuristic design and the materials give the BMW i8 Implemented i8 a high level of performance in terms of Both dynamics and fuel economy. It is good for sprints to 62 mph from a standstill in 4.6 seconds, a 50-75-mph time of 4.0 seconds, and a top speed limited to 155 mph. Thanks to the two drive systems, the BMW i8 can perform like a front-, rear-, or all-wheel-drive vehicle.
The BMW i8 Concept i8 can travel up to 22 miles on electric power alone for zero-emissions motoring. BMW did not specify the total range for the production car. BMW is also implementing a new camera-based proactive protection system on the front I3 and i8.
